FEMA: Local counties awarded $2 million for Helene repairs
According to a news release from the Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA), the funds will go towards emergency and permanent work to repair bridges, restore utilities, remove debris and take measures to further protect Helene-impacted counties.
Tennessee overhauls terms governing Ballad Health
The following community projects will receive funds through FEMA's Public Assistance program:
Carter County First Utility District – $4,966 for emergency protective measures
Hawkins County Emergency Communications District – $4,632 for emergency protective measures
Johnson County $624,640 for Morefield Bridge repairs $617,344 for Furnace Creek Bridge repairs $12,875 for Brownlow Utility District meter repairs
Unicoi County Gas Utility District – $27,949 for emergency protective measures, $39,335 for restoring gas service to residential customers Sheriff's Office – $124,760 for emergency protective measures
Washington County Johnson City Energy Authority – $227,806 for emergency protective measures Emergency Communications District – $6,041 for emergency protective measures
Sevier County $34,524 for City of Pigeon Forge $11,154 for Sevier County Utility District $196,489 for the county government , all for emergency protective measures
'The Public Assistance program reimburses communities for emergency work to save lives and protect property; remove debris; and repair roads, bridges, public buildings, utilities and parks,' FEMA said in a news release. 'Because this is a cost-sharing program, FEMA reimburses state applicants 75% of eligible costs. The remaining 25% represents nonfederal funds.'
FEMA's share for this project is $83,731, and the nonfederal share is $27,910.
Copyright 2025 Nexstar Media, Inc. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed.
For the latest news, weather, sports, and streaming video, head to WJHL | Tri-Cities News & Weather.
Try Our AI Features
Explore what Daily8 AI can do for you:
Comments
No comments yet...
Related Articles
San Francisco Chronicle
2 hours ago
- San Francisco Chronicle
Mayor Daniel Lurie's $15.9 billion budget approved amid criticism
After months of difficult negotiations at City Hall, the San Francisco Board of Supervisors on Tuesday gave final approval to Mayor Daniel Lurie's $15.9 billion budget, which closes an $800 million budget deficit by slashing spending. The board, which has a moderate majority since the last election, voted 10 to 1 to approve the budget, with Supervisor Jackie Fielder dissenting. Now the bill goes to Lurie's desk, and per law, he must sign it by Aug. 1. The journey to creating a two-year budget that addresses the city's structural deficit was turbulent, as Lurie faced opposition from unions and community groups that tried to block funding cuts. Ultimately, Lurie, who had campaigned on cutting wasteful spending, reduced funds to nonprofits and departments, made about 40 layoffs and eliminated over a thousand vacant positions. Supervisor Connie Chan, who is the board's budget chair, said she wouldn't celebrate the mayor's budget and warned that the future remains grim as San Francisco continues to deal with threats from the Trump administration of withholding federal funds. Lurie and the board agreed to start a $400 million reserve fund to deal with any potential loss of federal dollars, but even that could be insufficient as San Francisco gets billions from the federal government every year, including in the form of Medicaid reimbursements and FEMA disaster funds. Still, Chan acknowledged that the board 'came together despite our differences to meet this moment,' which she said was key to getting the budget deal done. Lurie's team declined to comment on Tuesday. Last week after the board passed the budget on first reading, the mayor called it the latest in 'a series of major legislative wins.' 'They voted unanimously to cut red tape for small businesses through our PermitSF legislation, and approved a real plan to support families living in RVs,' Lurie said. 'Thank you to the Board, and I look forward to building on what we've accomplished so far.' But not everyone is happy about the budget. Fielder took a page from former Supervisor Dean Preston and voted no on the budget because it included cuts to programs that serve the city's most vulnerable people. Preston, a fellow democratic socialist, voted no on every budget while he was supervisor because they included more money for the San Francisco police department. 'I cannot in good conscience vote in support of this budget,' Fielder said. 'I will be voting no with disappointment, with frustration but also with clarity about the kind of city we are fighting to become. We owe our residents more than austerity.' Throughout the budget negotiations, Fielder criticized the mayor's spending plan, including a last-minute compromise between Lurie and the board that stripped some of its ability to allocate specific funds to fight homelessness. As part of the budget deal, Lurie sought and received more power in determining how to spend revenue from Proposition C, a 2018 tax increase to fund homelessness initiatives. The board agreed to give up its power to oppose mayoral spending under $19 million with a supermajority vote. On the final day of voting, angry homelessness advocates, many from the Coalition on Homelessness, staged a silent protest. They wore black veils and paraded around City Hall with a casket labeled 'democracy.' The group also opposed a recent change to city policy that they say will put RV dwellers at risk of homelessness.
Miami Herald
4 hours ago
- Miami Herald
USDA grants more than $675M for Florida's hurricane-affected farmers
July 22 (UPI) -- The U.S. Department of Agriculture is unleashing more than a half billion dollars in further aid to Florida growers and businesses in the aftermath of Hurricanes Idalia, Debby, Helene and Milton. U.S. Agriculture Secretary Brooke Rollins was in the Sunshine State on Monday to meet with Florida officials, business, agricultural leaders and producers and signed a $675.9 million federal block grant with the state's Department of Agriculture and Consumer Services to provide additional relief for Florida's farmers to cover loses in its infrastructure, citrus and timber industry. In a statement, Rollins noted that American farmers and ranchers in Florida's southeast "have been hit hard and suffered significant economic losses during the last two hurricane seasons." "USDA has worked closely with the State of Florida to ensure those impacted have the relief they need," she said, adding the administration "has our farmers' backs and will ensure they have the resources they need to continue to produce the safest, most reliable and most abundant food supply in the world." Hurricane Helene's near-record-breaking size and storm surge last year in September wreaked havoc and caused billions of dollars in damage along over 500 miles of Florida's coastline. It ended with over 230 people dead in Florida, Georgia, South Carolina, North Carolina, Tennessee and Virginia as the storm flooded towns, destroyed roads and bridges, and Helene swept away homes, farms and livelihoods. In June, USDA said Florida's orange crop for the 2024-2025 season was predicted to be its smallest since before World War II, with plummeting orange juice sales down over 50% since 2000. Rollins said Monday in a social media video that Floridians had faced "such difficult challenges over the last decade or so, most recently with all the hurricanes that have hit." "Most importantly, help is coming to our growers," the secretary said in Felda after her meeting with state and local officials. "It's right around the corner," she added. The $675 million federal infusion of dollars for FDACS to administer came as part of funding via the 2025 American Relief Act. On Monday, Florida's agriculture chief stated that his state's producers had endured "back-to-back devastating hurricane seasons," describing the additional federal assistance as a "major victory that will help them rebuild, recover and continue feeding our state and nation." "Food production is not just an economic issue, it's a matter of national security," said Florida Agriculture Commissioner Wilton Simpson. "And we appreciate the president's consistent support for our farmers." Copyright 2025 UPI News Corporation. All Rights Reserved.
UPI
5 hours ago
- UPI
USDA grants more than $675M for Florida's hurricane-affected farmers
1 of 5 | U.S. Agriculture Secretary Brooke Rollins (pictured July 15 at the U.S. Capitol in Washington, D.C.) said Tuesday that American farmers and ranchers in Florida "have been hit hard and suffered significant economic losses during the last two hurricane seasons." Photo by Bonnie Cash/UPI | License Photo July 22 (UPI) -- The U.S. Department of Agriculture is unleashing more than a half million dollars in further aid to Florida growers and businesses in the aftermath of Hurricanes Idalia, Debby, Helene and Milton. U.S. Agriculture Secretary Brooke Rollins was in the Sunshine State on Monday to meet with Florida officials, business, agricultural leaders and producers and signed a $675.9 million federal block grant with the state's Department of Agriculture and Consumer Services to provide additional relief for Florida's farmers to cover loses in its infrastructure, citrus and timber industry. In a statement, Rollins noted that American farmers and ranchers in Florida's southeast "have been hit hard and suffered significant economic losses during the last two hurricane seasons." "USDA has worked closely with the State of Florida to ensure those impacted have the relief they need," she said, adding the administration "has our farmers' backs and will ensure they have the resources they need to continue to produce the safest, most reliable and most abundant food supply in the world." Hurricane Helene's near-record-breaking size and storm surge last year in September wreaked havoc and caused billions of dollars in damage along over 500 miles of Florida's coastline. It ended with over 230 people dead in Florida, Georgia, South Carolina, North Carolina, Tennessee and Virginia as the storm flooded towns, destroyed roads and bridges, and Helene swept away homes, farms and livelihoods. In June, USDA said Florida's orange crop for the 2024-2025 season was predicted to be its smallest since before World War II, with plummeting orange juice sales down over 50% since 2000. Rollins said Monday in a social media video that Floridians had faced "such difficult challenges over the last decade or so, most recently with all the hurricanes that have hit." "Most importantly, help is coming to our growers," the secretary said in Felda after her meeting with state and local officials. "It's right around the corner," she added. The $675 million federal infusion of dollars for FDACS to administer came as part of funding via the 2025 American Relief Act. On Monday, Florida's agriculture chief stated that his state's producers had endured "back-to-back devastating hurricane seasons," describing the additional federal assistance as a "major victory that will help them rebuild, recover and continue feeding our state and nation." "Food production is not just an economic issue, it's a matter of national security," said Florida Agriculture Commissioner Wilton Simpson. "And we appreciate the president's consistent support for our farmers."
